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Wayne Shepperd
Chief of Staff - Office of the Mayor
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Address:
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155 Deer Hill Avenue
Danbury, CT. 06810
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| Telephone: |
203-796-1682 |
| FAX: |
203-796-1666 |
Statement of Mission: Office of Economic Development will lead marketing efforts to businesses interested in relocating to Danbury and will deliver a variety of services designed to stimulate business and community development. Recognizing the importance of Danbury’s existing businesses, “OED” will provide support services designed to expand local business opportunities, thereby helping to create and retain jobs, enhance the local tax base, and revitalize distressed portions of the City. "OED" will communicate the message that Danbury is a premier place to live, work, and raise a family in a traditional yet progressive community.
About us:
Our city is recognized as, “The Gateway to New England”, and this office takes pride in being known as the gateway to doing business in our city. The Office of Economic Development is the initial point of contact, along with the Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce, for incoming and existing businesses.
The Office of Economic Development leads the city’s marketing efforts for attracting and retaining a solid business base in our city. The office delivers services designed to stimulate business and community development.
Additional Links:
Our accomplishments:
The Office of Economic Development (OED) has been actively involved in the Mayor’s Main Street Renaissance Task Force. This group, under the leadership of Chairman John Kline, now-retired President of Union Savings Bank, and City Planning Director Dennis Elpern produced a report that has laid out a comprehensive plan for an improved downtown. In turn, this office is now involved with the next step of creating the Danbury Downtown Partnership which will provide economic development guidance to CityCenter's leadership.
The OED has also been part of a regional economic development movement to create a 10-town Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for our region. This alignment with other towns will make us eligible for state grants and allow us a broader ability to market our city to potential new businesses. The CEDS has received approval from the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials, conducted two business leaders’ focus groups, and is amid its fund-raising drive. Money is needed to complete an in-depth 10-town survey of a host of economic development indicators in order to be approved as a formalized CEDS.
As in the past, OED was again involved with the Executive Committee of the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board, acquiring much needed funding to several Danbury businesses for employee training. The board also supported the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program, providing 60 city youngsters with summer jobs. The Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program was, for the first time, run by Danbury Youth Services. Danbury's Police Athletic League also hosted 30 students.
Housing issues in the City of Danbury is also a concern of this office and OED sits in on all Danbury Housing Partnership meetings whose goal is aimed at ultimately ending homelessness in our city.
Business retention and development is core to the mission of the OED. This year, OED was involved, in various degrees, in a host of new Danbury projects, including:
* Danbury Hospital's planned three-year $150 million expansion. Expansion work on its garage has already begun. The next project will be a remake of its entrance, its Emergency Department, and ultimately the main project of converting the bulk of its two-patient rooms into one-patient rooms.
* Union Savings Bank’s purchase of Danbury's former Police Department building, along with two adjacent properties. Construction of the USB branch on this site will begin this summer, and plans for a Connecticut Institute for Communities non-profit administration & services building as well as senior housing have also begun.
* Plans for a Danbury Sports Dome. The facility will be an air-supported dome for indoor sports and has already received city approvals. It is a planned 120,000-square-foot, 95-foot high structure on Shelter Rock Road.
* The U.S. Army Reserve’s 18-acre administration and training site on Lee Farm. The reserve will be located off West Wooster Street and will house 30 full-time staffers. On weekends, 201 soldiers from various USAR and Connecticut Army National Guard will drill on the site. It is projected to be a $45 million project.
* BRT Corporation’s three-store plaza on Crosby Street has already welcomed new tenants and will fill its space in the coming months.
* Matrix Corporation has gradual filled its commercial space. Including Armored Auto Group with 72 employees, and the expanded footprint for existing occupant Odyssey Logistics with 150 employees.
* DRS Technologies’ is also expanding its current facility on South Street by 40,000-square-feet.